Sr. Dir, Biology-Discovery

Merck & Co.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 194,100 - 305,600; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co. in the United States is seeking a Senior Director, Translational and Biomarker Lead to guide immunology translational science and biomarker strategy across discovery and early development.

This leadership role oversees multicenter teams, integrates discovery insights with clinical readiness, and champions innovative biomarkers and translational approaches to inform portfolio decisions and early development pathways.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership of translational and biomarker teams.
• Experience in immunology translational research strategies.
• Experience shaping discovery and drug development in immunology.
• Experience developing clinically relevant biomarkers for target engagement and pharmacodynamic measures.
• Minimum of five years of direct management overseeing multiple teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a high‑performing translational and biomarker research team, setting scientific direction, prioritizing portfolio opportunities, and fostering a collaborative, rigorous, and innovative culture.
• Drive the translational and biomarker research portfolio by identifying and advancing opportunities to interrogate assets through strategically structured experiments, including in vitro systems, ex vivo studies using selected patient samples, and animal models, ensuring linkage among mechanism of action, disease biology, PK/PD, and translatable clinical endpoints.
• Oversee and guide the team in the design and execution of translational experimental plans, analysis strategies, and forward‑ and reverse‑translational studies in collaboration with internal teams and external partners, ensuring feasibility and readiness for FIH/PoC.
• Provide leadership for biomarker strategy implementation across preclinical and clinical settings in partnership with Discovery, Non‑Clinical Drug Safety, Translational Medicine, and Data Science teams.
• Champion adoption of emerging technologies, platforms, and therapeutic modalities to enable discovery and prosecution of novel targets in immunological disease.
• Maintain and share awareness of scientific developments within the area of expertise to strengthen portfolio decision‑making.
• Engage investigators, KOLs, and external partners to enable high‑quality execution and collaboration.
• Oversee and guide preparation of abstracts, presentations, and manuscripts for conferences and peer‑reviewed publications.

Skills

Assay Development

Biochemical Assays

Cross-Cultural Awareness

External Collaboration

High Performance Team Building

High Throughput Drug Screening

Immunoassays

Immunology

Innovation

In Vitro Studies

Mechanism of Action Studies

Motivating Teams

People Leadership

Pharmaceutical Biology

Research Methodologies

Translational Research

Education

Immunology / Cell Biology degree (PhD/MD preferred)

Job description

Senior Director, Translational and Biomarker Lead

We are seeking an exceptional scientific leader with deep expertise in immunology, translational science, and biomarker research to join our Discovery Immunology Team. This individual will help advance our mission to discover and develop best‑in‑class medicines for patients with immune‑driven diseases.

The Senior Director will shape and oversee translational and biomarker strategy for immunology programs, integrating discovery insights, human biology, and early clinical development. The role will guide hypothesis‑driven mechanistic, preclinical, in vivo, and biomarker studies, translating complex data into clear recommendations that inform decisions across the portfolio. As a leader of multiple teams, they must bring strong people‑management skills to align priorities, develop talent, foster accountability, and create an environment where diverse scientific expertise is effectively integrated.

This strategic and highly visible role sits at the interface of Discovery, Biomarkers, and Early Development, with responsibility for influencing translational data generation from internal clinical studies and external collaborations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a high‑performing translational and biomarker research team, setting scientific direction, prioritizing portfolio opportunities, and fostering a collaborative, rigorous, and innovative culture.
• Drive the translational and biomarker research portfolio by identifying and advancing opportunities to interrogate assets through strategically structured experiments, including in vitro systems, ex vivo studies using selected patient samples, and animal models, ensuring clear linkage among mechanism of action, disease biology, PK/PD, and translatable clinical endpoints.
• Oversee and guide the team in the design and execution of translational experimental plans, analysis strategies, and forward‑ and reverse‑translational research studies in collaboration with internal teams and external partners, ensuring operational feasibility, fit‑for‑purpose approaches, and readiness for FIH/PoC studies aligned with early development indication plans.
• Provide leadership for biomarker strategy implementation across preclinical and clinical settings in partnership with Discovery, Non‑Clinical Drug Safety, Translational Medicine, and Data Science teams.
• Champion adoption of emerging technologies, platforms, and therapeutic modalities to enable discovery and prosecution of novel targets in immunological disease, including small molecules, peptides, biologics & T cell engagers.
• Maintain and share awareness of scientific developments within the area of expertise, including new findings, research methodologies, novel platforms, and emerging modalities, to strengthen team capability and portfolio decision‑making.
• Engage scientific investigators, KOLs, and external partners to enable high‑quality execution, scientific exchange, and strategic collaboration.
• Oversee and guide preparation of abstracts, presentations, and manuscripts for conferences and peer‑reviewed publications, ensuring scientific quality and appropriate team contributions.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's (with 20+ years), Master's (with 18+ years) or Ph.D. (with 10+ years) in Immunology, Cell Biology or related field with at least seven years of direct industry experience.

Required Experience and Skills

• Knowledge and experience of immune‑mediated diseases, including a strong understanding of molecular pathways driving disease and relevant clinical trial results and competitive landscape in immunology and autoinflammation.
• Prior experience in ideating, establishing, and executing translational research strategies in immune diseases, including strategic fit, coordination of data generation and interpretation with computational scientists and other functions.
• Prior experience shaping and executing discovery research and drug development in the field of immunology with a focus on autoimmune/inflammatory diseases.
• Experience developing clinically relevant biomarkers for target engagement and pharmacodynamic measures.
• Minimum of five years of direct management experience overseeing multiple teams with proven leadership.
• Strong awareness of safety and environmental requirements.
• Good understanding of integration and partnering necessary for pharmaceutical development with Translational Medicine, Clinical, CMC, Regulatory, Operations, and other functional areas.
• Effective communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills with the ability to work with senior‑level managers in multi‑cross‑functional environments.

Required Skills

• Assay Development, Biochemical Assays, Cross‑Cultural Awareness, External Collaboration, High Performance Team Building, High Throughput Drug Screening, Immunoassays, Immunology, Innovation, In Vitro Studies, Mechanism of Action Studies, Motivating Teams, People Leadership, Pharmaceutical Biology, Research Methodologies, Translational Research.

Salary and Benefits

Salary range: $194,100 – $305,600. Successful candidates will be eligible for annual bonus and long‑term incentive, if applicable. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

For additional information regarding personal rights under U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit EEOC Know Your Rights or EEOC GINA Supplement.